Punters panel: The 1-0 defeat at Charlton left Boro languishing in 12th place in the Premiership table.

But boss Steve McClaren maintains his side can put a run together and finish in the top half of the table.

This week Barry King asks the Punters' Panel if they feel Boro can break into the top ten and overhaul that record tally of 52 points.

JOHN BROOKES , from Stockton, says the team has no chance of making it into the top half.

He said: "Unless we start scoring goals then there's no way we will move up the table.

"It's all very good saying we are creating chances but at the end of the day we have nobody who can score.

"McClaren's living in Disney Land, we've got no chance of getting into the top eight or past 52 points.

"He's supposed to be up there as one of the best tacticians but I think he's tactically naive.

"Everybody can see we perform much better when playing two up front and he has to play that system.

"As for the forwards, we've been to see the Wizard of Oz and we've got the man without a heart in Maccarone but what about the forgotten man - Szilard Nemeth.

"He scores goals for us so let's get him in. McClaren is sticking with his #8m man and trying to justify playing him when really players like Maccarone and Ricketts should be banged in the reserves to sharpen them up but we don't seem to do that with players.

"We need a reality check after getting carried away with the cup final win.

"We mustn't lose our vision and the best we can hope for is 11th or 12th and use the cup as something to build on.

"Two strikers up front must be the order of the day now and I would play Nemeth and Job as the two, with Juninho in behind them."

BARI CHOHAN , from Acklam, believes the team can get as high as eighth in the table but only if McClaren changes his tactics.

"We need to get 18 more points to get to the 52 mark - that's six wins out of ten matches and it is a tall order," said Bari.

"But if we can pick up two wins away we should be looking to win our home games anyway so we can do it.

"The danger now after winning the Carling Cup is that McClaren will go on the defensive and be making clean sheets his No.1 priority.

"But I think that would be a mistake. The more you go at teams, the easier it is to win games and the sooner we win games, the sooner we are mathematically safe from relegation.

"But last season when we were safe McClaren went all defensive and we struggled at the end of the campaign.

"He needs now to be a little less cautious and more adventurous and then eighth place is there for the taking.

"And to do that we need to play with two men up front.

"We've got the likes of Birmingham and Bolton coming here and we have to be going at teams like that.

"Job and Nemeth should be the two strikers with Juninho just behind them."

KEITH ROBERTS , from Yarm, is another who thinks the style of play has to change if Boro are to make a push for the top half.

He said: "McClaren keeps saying that the opportunity is there for players to get into the team.

"But it's not when you look at things. Nemeth comes in and scores goals yet he still finds himself on the bench behind Maccarone.

"He persists with Maccarone even when everybody is turning against him, he's had his chances.

"The tactics need to change and we must stop giving away daft goals.

"But we haven't got a cat in hell's chance of beating those 52 points.

"What McClaren should do is pick two strikers and let them play until the end of the season.

"I would pick Job and Nemeth as the strikers, Juninho in behind and a midfield of Mendieta, Boateng and Zenden.

"Eighth place can be achieved but only if we go looking for wins.

"We've shown we can do it in certain games so why can't we do it more often?"